EA's Gamescom 2015 presentation was only an hour long compared to Microsoft's 90 minutes, but that didn't mean it wasn't a padded affair. There were some gems in there though along with another adorable appearance from EA's unofficial new mascot. Let's see what the team had to say.

Microsoft have just left the stage at Cologne for their Gamescom 2015 presentation and we've put our heads together to bring you our roundtable impressions of what we've just seen. There were new game announcements and lots of encouraging footage of upcoming titles. Unlike E3 though, there was plenty to see coming in 2016 too. Is Sony going to regret not attending the largest gaming expo on the gaming calendar after this showing? We'll have to wait until Paris Games Week to find out really. For now, let's see what the green team have up their sleeves.

We were settling in for a slow news day, but the voice actor behind every gaming character that isn't Troy Baker dropped a bombshell on this sizzling summer Tuesday. On the face of it, given that The Last Of Us was a critical darling, a sequel should be fantastic news.

And yet the headline has divided gamers across the internet and even right here at Dealspwn Towers. Does The Last Of Us deserve or even need a sequel? Read our views and then let us know where you stand!

Jonathan

I really rate The Last Of Us. It was cinematic to the extreme, but its superb characters, pulse-pounding set pieces and brilliantly realised world reminded us that "cinematic" isn't a dirty word.

But should it get a sequel? No. Or more accurately, I'm not convinced that it -- and we -- really need one.

Square Enix, one of this year's E3 freshman, arguably had an easier time than most. Boasting a portfolio of Eastern and Western-developed games with a diverse audience and big characters, they ought to be a natural fit for the global stage.

A slow start soon yielded some interesting surprises that left the three of us reeling, as well as some things that we actually asked for. Alongside a fair few things we didn't.

Carl

As much as I’m sure Square Enix wanted to remind us of how they’re listening to gamers, that opening speech went on way too long. Thankfully, Just Cause 3 came to save the day by giving us explosions, grappling, mayhem, more grappling, and plenty of destruction from even more explosions. I honestly cannot wait for December to arrive.

Then came a damn dirty tease with the next Nier game, which is being developed by Platinum Games… and some guy in a weird mask. Excuse me for going for the obvious, but it has to be Kojima under there, surely? It seems like the sort of thing he’d do, anyway, and he is a free agent now. At least the art style that was shown in the teaser looked great. We then moved onto Rise Of the Tomb Raider, but while looking behind the scenes was somewhat interesting, I was much more taken by the reveal of Tomb Raider Go. Considering how well received Hitman Go was (and rightly so) I have high hopes for this new spin-off title.

Ubisoft had a lot to prove this year following their many embarrassing mistakes in 2014. Did they make up for it at E3 2015?

The three of us have very different opinions on whether they pulled it off or not, and whether this was a highlight of the day or the weakest show so far.

Brendan

Ubisoft's show was bookended by some interesting reveals with an especially great opening one. Sure, I wanted another South Park game, but sometime you just don't expect to get some things. The trailer was packed with more laughs and smiles than the entire of the rest of E3 so far and I can't wait to see Ubi and South Park do their thing with the superhero RPG genre that they've sorta just invented on console - sit down DC Universe Online!

The show-closing reveal had us guessing for a while. I was going with a sequel to Call of Juarez: The Cartel, but thankfully it wasn't. Instead, we're getting Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands. I have to say, it looks very similar to The Division, but good. The open-world setting seems to be based south of the border in Mexico as the special forces take on the gruesome cartel gangs. Frankly, I can't wait to see more on this one.

Has it been a year already? It's that time again, dear gamers, where we at Dealspwn.com celebrate the upcoming expo madness by asking you a single question.

Who will win E3 2015?

Yes, the question makes very little sense. Yes, it's inflammatory. Yes, it's silly. But deep down in our heart of hearts, we know that someone always wins E3. Cast your votes now, then let us know who you voted for and why in the comments!

Square Enix are joining Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, EA, Ubisoft and Bethesda at E3 2015 with a press conference of their own.

Welcome to the big leagues, Square. We're excited to see what they're bringing to the party and expect some fairly major announcements involving both Eastern and Western franchises.

Carl

For me, the main title of interest heading into the Square Enix presser is Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, despite Final Fantasy XV having hogged the limelight in recent months. Having not played the demo or been particular enthused by what I have seen, it’s going to take something very special indeed to gain my interest. Hell, at this point I’m more interested in Final Fantasy XIV, which they will no doubt tout as it continues to defy the trend of being subscription-free. Then again, if you had an online game with Chocobo Racing and Triple Triad built into it you’d be showing it off to the world as well. Because money.

Another title that will most likely find a debut this year is the next Hitman game, although there will be a lot of scepticism this time around. After Absolution’s hype overplayed the whole stealth aspects of the game, and featured a ridiculous storyline, here’s hoping they’ve learned their lesson and give us a pure assassination sandbox.

What game are we most looking forward to? Doom, obviously. Here's what we expect, suspect, crave and desperately don't want from Bethesda's Fallout 4 reveal show E3 2015 press event.

Jonathan

Show us Fallout 4 or go home.

I say this as both a huge fan of the franchise (Fallout 3 is by far the best game of Generation 7 in my estimation) and a pundit: Fallout 4 needs to be the star of the show. It's probably far too early to reveal The Elder Scrolls VI, so to warrant doing your own press conference, there's only one game that deserves top billing.

After that, it's all gravy, but there are still some major announcements and reveals I expect from the June 14th event.

E3 2015 is just around the corner, meaning that major publishers are lining up to showcase their wares in the shadow of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. One of whom has more to prove than most.

2014 saw Ubisoft dragged through the mud for numerous mistakes, consumer-unfriendly decisions and intellectually offensive gaffes. With luck, E3 2015 will put them back in our good books. Here's what we expect from their press conference, what we want and just as importantly, what we don't.

Brendan

Not to start on a downer, but my wish list for games I want from the Ubisoft presser seems doomed to fail from the off, as I can't see how they'd fit them in with the games that have already been announced. But in a perfect world we'd be seeing a new Prince of Persia game, ideally one that gives me some goddamn closure on the 2008 original (not gonna happen).

A new Rayman title is certainly feasibly, as it wouldn't require a huge team to work on, but again, I just don't see it happening. You'd expect Beyond Good & Evil to have something to show after all these years, but I'm remaining pessimistic in the hopes I'll be wrong. I'd like to see Far Cry 5 become a reality and ditch last-gen so the series can evolve from the fun but safe fourth entry.

What will we actually get though? Extensive looks at The Division and Rainbow Six: Siege. I'm ready to be excited about The Division, I'm just so close to caring about it and need that little bit of brilliance to get the game out of the grey post-apocalypse box it's currently sat in.

E3 2015 is just around the corner, meaning that Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are set to throw down in one of the most important shows in years. However, E3 isn't just about console manufacturers.

EA have their work cut out this year, seeing as E3 2014 was an absolute disaster. Twelve months later and they should have a lot more to show us. Here's what we expect from their press conference, which will take place at 21:00 GMT on June 16th.

Microsoft and Sony are set to throw down in a climactic E3 2015 press conference conflagration, but Nintendo are doing their own thing as always. Streaming their presentation to the world before showing us several days' worth of live gameplay, they're prepared to show us exactly why the 3DS and Wii U are worth buying, rather than just tell us.

However, Nintendo also face a unique challenge in that they've effectively given the Wii U a death sentence by confirming the existence of the NX. They'll need to make the most of this one remaining year to convince more gamers to buy in before they reveal the new system... and we've got a few ideas about how they can do exactly that.

Just so you know, Jonathan bought a Wii U at launch, but Carl and Brendan are still teetering on the edge.

Jonathan

Nintendo have their work cut out this year. With Zelda delayed and possibly jumping ship to the NX, they need to make the most of what they've got. Thankfully, seeing as they'll spend several days showing off livestreamed gameplay to the waiting world, they're set to do just that.

The 3DS will be fine, as always. New Fire Emblem, Bravely Second (if Square doesn't announce it at their own conference) and presumably new Pokemon will suit me down to the ground, and that's all without any major surprises. Even if they don't announce anything I could merrily spend the rest of the year just playing Rune Factory 4 and every other incredible time-sink on my favourite system. Come on, I make no secret of it.

On the Wii U front, however, they really need to forge ahead and make gamers an offer they can't refuse. It's already a superb console with a sensational games library, but it needs a push, especially seeing as news of the NX has spooked plenty of potential buyers.

With Force Unleashed 2 and more excitingly The Old Republic on the horizon, I couldn't help but look back at some of the gaming gold that Lucasarts have provided us with over the years.

In fact, I can't remember a time that I didn't enjoy playing Star Wars games, having been reeled in by Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi on the SNES and Star Wars: A New Hope on the Game Gear, and it's hardly surprising considering to date over 100 Star Wars games have been produced. What I've compiled here is a list of titles that transport you back to a galaxy far far away in all of its lightsabre wielding glory.

10. Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II

This was one of the first games that I really wanted but was hampered by my parent's PC, because it was so awful that it couldn't run it, which is a theme that's continued throughout my life in terms of PCs, and I had to resort to going round to my friends' houses to marvel in the glow of the lightsabre between my character's hands.

I take it you all saw the Star Wars Battlefront trailer last week. No? Do it now.

We need to talk.

As Star Wars fans to a man, DICE's Star Wars Celebration debut left us all incredibly excited yet somewhat nervous about what EA plans to the table. Can the fantasy footage match the reality, especially on current-gen consoles? Is what's being left out of the package more noteworthy than what's making it in? Now that a few days have passed, we've put our heads together to bring you our thoughts on what ought to be the game we've been waiting for.

Jonathan

I really want to get excited about Star Wars Battlefront. I did get excited about Star Wars Battlefront. Watching those gorgeous "rendered gameplay assets" unfold, that old familiar feeling started to well in the pit of my stomach, that part of my brain that used to take pride in the Star Wars license suddenly lit up and I dared to believe. Battlefront's back. DICE are in charge. It looks fantastic. AT-ATs. Y-Wings. Vader. This is finally happening!

It's good that we waited a couple of days, though, because a little hindsight and perspective goes a long way in this business.

Fancy nabbing a bunch of Saints Row 3 passes and codes to sell online for absolutely nothing? Right this way good sir...

Games are investments, soaking up precious time and money. But this Christmas, there's a way you can make the system work for you, and it all begins with three letters...CEX.

Now we all know that CEX can be a little hit and miss, but there's nothing stopping you playing the high street markets like a fiddle and trying to make yourself a little bit of money. Whether game companies like it or not, the pre-owned market is still alive and kicking...sort of...and there's still demand for copies and codes that can be turned to an advantage. Just follow these steps:

Sell your stockpile of codes on eBay for anything between £3-£9 a pop.

One or two things to note - Gamestation tend to operate a policy whereby you can only purchase 6 of the same items (stock willing) if you go in-store. Online, though, you can put as many in as you like in your basket. CEX allow you to sell up to 5 online straightaway, but any more and you'll have to talk to their customer services department. In-store, there's no limit, but it's always wise to ring up and verify that they're offering cash.

Roxio's Game Capture kit for PS3 and Xbox 360 can be nabbed for under £55 at Maplin this winter, several quid cheaper than the leading competition. Frankly, we love the little box, and it provides a great universal way of exporting media from your normally isolationist console.

Welcome to the hub page for all of Dealspwn's coverage for Gamescom 2011! We'll be getting to grips with some of the biggest upcoming titles of the next twelve months, bombarding you with the latest news, previews and interviews from the show and giving you our opinions on some of the hottest properties in the industry. Over the course of Gamescom week, and after the convention has finished, this page will be filling up with links to press conference roundups, key bulletins, previews, features and comment. If you want to see the latest coverage from the show, hit the link below.

In the first game of the series to be simultaneously developed for multi-platform release, Final Fantasy XIII takes players on an awe-inspiring journey through the floating cityworld of Cocoon and the savage lowerworld of Pulse, encountering a diverse band of would-be allies along the way. With seamless transitions between real-time gameplay and in-game cinematics, and an evolved Active Time Battle system offering a perfect harmony of spectacular action and strategy, this is an adventure unlike any other.

The traditional fighting system has evolved with the new Ultimate Active Time Battle System, where a greater emphasis is put on speed as well as strategy. Another brand new game mechanic - Paradigms, will allow the player to assign roles to their party members at any time during battle, allowing allow players to respond and adapt instantly to any given situation to turn the tide and seize victory.

The game has received largely positive reviews since its release, being seen as an improvement in presentation, but perhaps suffering a lack of ideas - being scaled back in many ways from the innovation of Final Fantasy XII. Certain ideas championed in the previous iteration have been abandoned and, for better or worse, this latest release is seen a return to the tried and tested formula. The removal of towns along your way was a huge disappointment to die-hard fans, as this was seen as a big reduction in interactivity and immersion.

Also, the Xbox 360 version of the game has been reported to have some disadvantages - when compared to its PlayStation 3 compatriot. Graphically, the Xbox version doesn't perform as well, with the game being developed primarily on the Sony's Cell programming system - then ported onto Xbox. Also, the game comes spread across three DVD-roms. Whilst you will have to swap discs at certain points throughout the game - this is only a minor niggle.

Some fans will love the traditional leanings of the game, coupled with its rich storytelling and lush visuals. Others might want more from a series so long-in-the-tooth, that has apparently taken a step backwards.

Having stuck, sniped and stormed our way through two weeks of Spartan testing, it's time for a few of us to kick back and divulge our personal impressions of the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta. We've already introduced you to the new gameplay mechanics and given insight into the new modes Invasion and Generator Defence, so here's our conclusive take on the test. We've listed what we loved, what we hated, what we think needs changing and what needs to go completely. As with all unfinished articles there have been a few bumps along the way, but it's still been an absolute blast in more ways than one. Read on for more.

FELIX:

I'm a big fan of Halo, but for the past few years I've found my interest in the series waning. I barely touch the multiplayer anymore, and I had to convince myself I bought ODST on its merits as a game, not a vessel for the beta. So I was skeptical of Halo Reach. Jetpacks? Reticule-bloom? A Spartan-Elite dichotomy? Since Combat Evolved, Halo has slowly but surely begun to decline. I expected Reach to be the last nail in the coffin.

But like all cynics, I downloaded the beta the minute it was unlocked. I waited, patiently at first, then with vocal frustration, as the servers groaned and I struggled to find even one match. I managed to slip into one game, on Powerhouse. And I loved it. I soared into the sky on a Jetpack, rattled a clip into a sprinting Spartan below, hurled a grenade, then plummeted to the ground and died. The Halo I loved was back.

The beta is an all-round improvement in almost every area. Controls feel perfect, and the thunderous sounds mean it finally feels like you're handling and firing an actual gun, rather than a toy. The inclusion of 'Loadouts' adds some much-needed excitement to the Halo formula. A lot of fans seem upset by the decision to automatically equip power-ups such as Invisibility, but I feel it takes the established tradition of 'run-gun-melee', and introduces further caveats, like 'run-fly-gun', or 'hide-pounce-assassinate'. I'd love to go into detail about how much I love assassinations, but I'd probably ramble on for too long!